Enhancing plant pigments using natural biostimulants

Abstract A plethora of papers and book chapters have been published wherein the effects of biostimulants on plant growth and development, resistance to biotic and abiotic stress, crop yield and food quality were examined. Natural biostimulants are known to stimulate yield and quality, photochemical efficiency and to protect the photosynthetic pigments. In this chapter, the effects of several main groups of biostimulants, i.e., seaweeds and botanical extracts, beneficial fungi and bacteria, humic and fulvic acids, nitrogen-containing compounds, biopolymers and inorganic compounds will be discussed with reference to their effects on the pigment content of treated plants. The type of biostimulant, mode(s) of action(s), dosage, application methods, and cultivars will be detailed. The discussion also outlines how plants with improved pigments content, because of stimulation from natural biostimulants, can be useful in value-added applications.